Iran’s oil exports halt as US naval blockade shuts down Kharg Island

Iran’s oil exports have ground to a complete stop at Kharg Island, the terminal responsible for roughly 95% of the country’s seaborne crude shipments. A reimposed US naval blockade has kept tanker loadings at zero since July 31, marking one of the longest operational interruptions at the facility since the US-Iran conflict escalated earlier this year. Satellite imagery from Windward and shipping data tracked by Kpler and Energy Aspects confirm that all three deepwater loading berths at Kharg Island are empty, and maritime activity around the terminal has dropped to its lowest point in months. A blockade with a track record This isn’t the first time the US Navy has choked off Kharg Island. The initial blockade phase ran from April through June 2026. Iranian crude and condensate exports collapsed from nearly 2 million barrels per day to below 300,000 bpd by May, according to Kpler data. At some points during that first phase, tracking services indicated Iranian crude exports had reached zero. An interim agreement temporarily eased the pressure, allowing some exports to resume. That agreement fell apart in mid-July, and the blockade snapped back into place almost immediately. Iranian ...